The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle with which individual air-conditioning zones of the interior of the vehicle can be supplied with air that is independently conditioned separately.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,704 discloses such an air-conditioning system that is divided into two halves by a dividing wall downstream of the evaporator in the direction of air flow. A first half serves to air-condition the interior front space, while the second serves to air-condition the interior rear space. The heater penetrates the dividing wall so that there are parts of the heater in each half. Downstream of the heater, the dividing wall has an opening that can be closed off with a pivoting flap. In the closed position of the flap, the front space and rear space can be air-conditioned separately, and in the open position, the entire air-conditioned air stream is fed to the front space. The supply of air to the rear space is then shut off. It is desirable to route air into the front space instead of into the rear space, in particular, when the window panes are covered by condensation or iced up, in order to improve visibility and thus safety.
A limitation with this known air-conditioning system is that, although the partial air stream for air-conditioning the rear can be completely conducted into the front space through the dividing wall opening, it is not possible, conversely, for a partial air stream intended for air-conditioning the front space to be conducted through the opening and into the rear space. Furthermore, with this air-conditioning system it is only possible to separately air-condition the front space and the rear space. A left/right division, and thus separate air-conditioning of the left-hand and right-hand halves of the interior of the vehicle is not provided.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved air-conditioning system with which air can be conditioned separately in each case for the different air-conditioning zones of the vehicle, and with which air can be conducted through two adjacent regions in an improved way.
Another object of the invention is to provide an air-conditioning system in which the level of safety can be improved, for example, as a result of reducing condensation on the windows.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an air-conditioning system having an installation space that is as small as possible.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved method of air-conditioning a motor vehicle.
In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provide in accordance with one aspect of the present invention an air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, comprising an evaporator for generating cold air; a heater for generating warm air, with the heater having at least one dividing wall for dividing the air-conditioning system into at least two regions downstream of the evaporator, with the heater being present in each of the regions, and with the dividing wall having a dividing wall opening; and a flap for selectively closing the dividing wall opening. The opening and the flap are arranged such that first partial air stream conducted in a first region flows through a first heater sub-region located in the first region to produce a first heated partial air stream that can selectively be subsequently directed with said flap to flow through a second heater sub-region located in a second region, after passing through the dividing wall opening.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there has been provided a method for air-conditioning a motor vehicle, comprising: generating cold air by passing air through an evaporator; generating warm air by passing at least a partial stream of the cold air through a heater, the heater having at least one dividing wall for dividing the air-conditioning system into at least two regions downstream of the evaporator, with the heater being present in each of the regions, and the dividing wall having a dividing wall opening; and selectively closing the dividing wall opening to selectively conduct a first heated partial air stream, conducted in a first region through a first heater sub-region located in the first region, through a second heater sub-region located in a second region, after passing through the dividing wall opening, whereby the first heated partial air stream is passed through the heater twice.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention that follows, when considered together with the accompanying figures of drawing.